If things had gone differently over the summer, Jordan Henderson may have been embroiled in Fulham’s battle to get out of the Premier League’s bottom three.

Offered the chance by Brendan Rodgers to make the switch to London, Henderson turned it down, telling the Liverpool manager he wanted to fight for his place.

That decision has paid off handsomely, to the extent that Rodgers has called the midfielder the most-improved player in the Premier League this season. From predominantly being on the sidelines, he has been a virtual constant in Liverpool’s side this term.

So, instead of running out at Craven Cottage on Sunday against Aston Villa, Henderson will play a key role against West Ham as the Reds aim to reduce the gap on leaders Arsenal tomorrow.

Of the threat the Londoners pose tomorrow, Henderson says: “They’ll be disappointed with how things have gone this season, for example the Chelsea game [which they lost 3-0]. They were doing quite well when Chelsea scored their first goal and they’ve got a very good squad of players.

“As a side they make life difficult but we’re ready for battle and hopefully we’ll keep going the way we have this season.”

Recall: Henderson on England duty
Liverpool have exceeded expectations this term. After finishing seventh in the table last season, they now lie seven points behind leaders Arsenal in fourth. So are Liverpool still a team in transition, as suggested by some following their 3-1 defeat at Hull last Sunday? Or are they a side capable of winning the title, as shown by their Suarez-inspired demolition of Norwich on Wednesday night?

Henderson opts for the latter: “We just have to keep on doing what we’re doing, keep working on being the best team we can possibly be, keep pushing each other in training. As a player you always aspire to the title but we’re just looking forward to the game. Hopefully, we can keep pushing up the League.”

Whatever the outcome at the end of the season, the perception of Henderson has changed markedly in the past few months. Two difficult seasons at Anfield led critics to suggest he would never justify the £16million which Rodgers’s predecessor, Kenny Dalglish, paid for him in 2011.

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson even suggested in his recent autobiography that Henderson’s running style would cause him problems during his career.

To his credit, Henderson has taken this all on the chin and quietly gone about his business. On the field, he has offered versatility as Rodgers has tinkered with his starting line-up and he has proved technically strong as well as tactically more aware.

Of the season so far, the midfielder says: “It’s been absolutely great. As a team we’ve been doing really well, we just need to keep working hard off the field. We’re getting good results and, for me, I’ve been playing a lot more football and really enjoying it. I think that’s mainly down to the team doing so well.”

Rodgers has paid tribute to a hard-working and dedicated player, who has, in the face of criticism, got his head down and focused on improving. So why has the improvement been so marked this season? “It’s a bit of everything,” says Henderson at a Liverpool FC Foundation project aimed at helping ex-armed forces personnel.

“I just want to improve all the time, whether that’s in training or off the field physically and mentally. I’ve tried to get into the best possible shape.

“But also I’ve enjoyed the greater responsibility, I love that. To be at a big club like Liverpool and have that sort of responsibility, I’ve just tried to deal with that the best way I can.”

He says that becoming a parent for the first time — his daughter Elexa was born in the summer — has also aided his cause. “Maybe I’m more mature,” says Henderson, who takes pride in his nappy changing skills, which he admits were initially sluggish.

You and whose army? Henderson with Simon Mignolet and Raheem Sterling joining ex-armed forces personnel at a Liverpool FC Foundation project
Henderson also credits the faith Rodgers showed in him after he rejected Fulham for his improved form, as well as the input from team captain and fellow midfielder Steven Gerrard.

“Having him [Gerrard] around is great,” says Henderson. “You get a little bit of everything for improving both on and off the field. I’ve spoken to him a lot, every day really. But the main thing is just to watch what he does in training. You pick up things from him every time in that arena but also in games. He’s an ideal role model for all the young players at this club and hopefully I can continue to pick things up from him.”

Gerrard and Henderson have increasingly played together for Liverpool and there is a sense they may do the same at international level.

Henderson returned to the England fold last month for the friendlies against Chile and Germany, his first international appearances since losing to Italy on penalties at Euro 2012.

And should his strong performances for Liverpool continue, there is the carrot of the World Cup in Brazil dangling in front of him and he is understandably keen to make Roy Hodgson’s tournament squad.

“It was great to be back involved with England, although we didn’t get the results we wanted,” says Henderson. “It gave me that little bit more confidence and, of course, I’d like to play at the World Cup. Hopefully I can do that by keeping on playing well for Liverpool.”

Warrior Football has donated £50,000 worth of kit to the Liverpool FC Foundation to distribute to community charities locally and overseas.